Device for educating and training the eye and hand.



No. 653,838. Patented July l7, I900. L. G. BELDUD.

DEVICE FOR EDUCATING AND TRAINING THE EYE AND HAND.

(Application filed Feb. 19, 1900.)

(No MODEL) UNITED STATES PATENT OETTQE.

LEON G. BELOUD, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

DEVICEFOR EDUCATING AND TRAINING THE EYE AND HAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 653,838, dated July 17, 1900.

Application filed February 19, 1900- Serial No. 5,781. (No model.)

T0 (066 w/wm it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEON G. BELOUD, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin and State of California, have invented and produced a new and original Instrument or Device for the Education and Training of the Eye and Hand, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an instrument whose object is to train the hand to work in conjunction with the eye. I obtain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a side view of the instrument when the rings are on the flexible portion. Fig. 2 is a side view of the instrument when the rings are in the act of passing from the flexible to the rigid portion. Fig. 3 is a side view of the instrument when the rings have all passed from the flexible to the rigid portion.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the accompanying drawings, showing these parts and features, A indicates the rigid or first-named part, a and a the two perforations situated at or near the extremities. B is the curve, located near one of these extremities. O is the flexible or pendent portion connecting the extremities of the rigid portion. D D D are the rings placed or threaded upon the flexible portion.

The leading or material features of my invention consist of the following parts:

First. A rigid piece of metal, wood, or other suitable material perforated at or near the extremities, of suitable size and dimensions, straight with the exception of a curve or depression near one of these extremities, said extremities being situated on a straight line passing through the center of this portion. The extremity farthest from curve or bend is slightly tapered or pointed, while the nearest extremity is of such shape as to form a convenient handle.

Second. A flexible portion composed of string, rope, yarn, or other suitable material knotted or otherwise suitably and securely fastened through the perforated ends of the flrst-named portion, one end of the flexible portion being secured through one end of the rigid or first named portion and the other end of said flexible portion to the opposite end of the rigid portion, this flexible portion hang ing or swinging freely and loosely connecting the extremities of the rigid or first-named part, said flexible portion being proportionately twice the length of the distance separating the extremities of the rigid portion.

Third. One or more rings of metal, wood, or other suitable material and of such shape and size that they can slide freely and easily from one extremity to the other of the rigid portion and also being able to pass freely from the rigid to the flexible portion, and vice versa, at the will of the operator, these rings being placed or passed onto the flexible portion before the ends of said flexible portion are secured or fastened to the rigid portion, the curve or bend in the rigid or first-named portion being intended to retain any rings which the operator may have passed from the flexible portion to the rigid while and during the period occupied by said operator in pass ing the remaining ring or rings from the flexible to the rigid portion.

The operator taking in one hand the rigid portion A by the extremity nearest to the curve B slowly tilts downward the extremity he is not holding. The instrument then assumes approximately the shape which is shown by the dotted lines of the lower drawing in Fig. 2. Then with a sharp quick motion upward he throws the rings D D into the air, at the same time causing said rings to make a half-turn, bringing the opening in said rings on a vertical plane directly facing him. Then with aquick thrust forward he impales or passes one or more rings onto the extremity a of the rigid portion A. of the instrument, as shown by the dotted lines of upper drawing in Fig. 2.. The ring or rings can now glide down the rigid and tilted portion A until it or they reach the curved portion B, where it or they can be retained. This operation can be repeated ad infinizimn, and by varying the size and weight of the rings employed this act can be made more or less difficult of accomplishment. Furthermore, as each ring is passed from the flexible to the rigid portion the weight of the rings remaining pendent on the flexible portion diminishes and therefore causes a variation in the effort made to project them into such a position that they can be impaled on the rigid portion. It is also necessary that the rings be caught in proper order or rotation. For instance, by catching, say,the second ring before impalin g the first would cause the flexible portion to assume such shape or tangle that the remaining ring or rings on the pendent portion could not be thrown in position to themselves be impaled.

The operation of this device rests mainly on the delicacy and accuracy of the sense of touch in the hand and the quickness of the eye and perceptive faculties in taking advantage of conditions brought about by abovenamed delicacy and accuracy in causing a favorable position of the ring or rings used in this device.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

' The combination, in a device for the -education and training of the eye and the hand, of a rigid portion whose extremities are on a straight line passing through its center, and having a curve or bend at a point proximate to one of its extremities with alonger flexible portion permanently fastened to each end of said rigid portion, this semirigid body carrying a number of non-detachable rings which can be made to slide easily from the flexible to the rigid portion of said body when held in a suitable position and vice versa, all portions of this device being capable of assuming difierent positions relatively to one another although being inseparable, as herein shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEON G. BELOUD,

Witnesses:

CHAS. E. MANTHEY, H. M. MANTHEY. 

